Chamber and committees

Glen Sannox and Hull 802 have 3 training cabins, 8 officer cabins and 23 crew cabins each. There are no passenger cabins on either vessel. Passengers will have access to facilities such as lounges, cafeterias and shops.

Works are underway at Troon harbour which will be used as an alternative mainland port to support CalMac services. Troon will also support the operation of the Ardrossan-Brodick/Campbeltown ferry services when they are temporarily diverted during the construction phase of the Ardrossan Harbour redevelopment project.

These works are closely monitored and are set to be completed before the scheduled introduction of the MV Glen Sannox.

In addition, upgrade works as part of the Skye Triangle Infrastructure Programme at Tarbert (Harris) and Uig (Skye) ports are currently in the construction phase, and are expected to be completed by early 2022 and Summer 2023 respectively.

Lochmaddy (North Uist) is currently in procurement phase with a contract award expected early 2022 and completion of works by Spring 2023; programme dates are subject to funding approval and contractor mobilisation.

As part of service continuity planning CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL) are undertaking public consultation sessions with communities in early 2022 to gather feedback on Troon timetables. This also includes plans for transport integration and connectivity with other modes whereby CalMac continues to engage with ScotRail and bus operators.

In addition to support the service, two shuttle-bus services will also be available from Ardrossan to Troon and between Troon railway station and port.

We plan to launch the consultation into proposed further restrictions on the advertising and promotion of Nicotine Vapour Products in the coming weeks.

Following requests not to consult during the Christmas and New Year period – one of the busiest for the retail sector – the Scottish Government has taken the opportunity to review and update the document to take into account, the most recent emerging evidence. This review is now in its final stages.

Our £9 million funding package to deal with the Omicron crisis has been targeted at those businesses most severely impacted. We recognise that the public health advice to reduce the spread of omicron and the re-introduction of regulations has affected some businesses more than others within tourism and hospitality.

B&Bs and Guesthouses are not as severely affected by restrictions as other businesses, and therefore not in scope for this tranche of funding. We recognise that this is a challenging time for businesses of all kinds and are continuing to press the UK Government for more comprehensive support.

We welcomed the previous Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform (ECCLR) Committee’s Inquiry report into regional marine planning. This report and its 29 recommendations have been carefully considered to help inform our future approach to regional marine planning. There will be a formal response to the ECCLR inquiry, with individual responses to each recommendation, made in advance of an announcement about the next steps for marine planning in Spring 2022.

As noted in the answer to question S6W-05600 on 19 January 2022, the Scottish Government is currently awaiting the outcome of the UK National Screening Committee’s review into whether a programme of national lung screening should be introduced. This will rigorously review the harms and benefits of lung screening, and will include consideration of efficacy, health economics and mortality.

At the same time as the ongoing UK NSC review, the Scottish Government has provided funding to the University of Edinburgh to support an exploratory piece of research into the feasibility of the introduction of lung health checks within Scotland targeting those from areas of deprivation at higher risk of lung cancer.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

The Scottish Government has provided funding to the University of Edinburgh to explore the feasibility of targeted lung health checks in those from areas of deprivation. We continue to support this work which is progressing and remain in regular contact with researchers. Results and learning from this work will be appropriately considered, once available.

Any decision on whether or not to introduce a new national screening programme in Scotland is guided by the recommendations of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent expert advisory group which advises all four nations of the United Kingdom on screening policy.

In 2007, the UK NSC recommended against the introduction of a lung cancer screening programme; however, it is currently reviewing this and will take into account new evidence that has emerged since the previous recommendation.

We do not have a definite timescale for when the NSC will publish its findings, but we are expecting an update in the coming months.

Following completion of this review, the UK NSC will make a new recommendation. If the recommendation is to introduce lung cancer screening then the Scottish Screening Committee, in consultation with medical experts in this field, will advise Scottish Ministers on the most appropriate course of action for Scotland.

The Scottish Government has taken the opportunity to liaise with a short-life working group and update the consultation in line with the most recent emerging evidence. We have also taken on board requests not to launch the consultation in the run-up to Christmas which is the busiest trading period and may not allow retailers the full opportunity to share their views.

The document is now in its final stages of review and will be published in the coming weeks.